Growing Up Is Hard
by The Smiling Shadow
Summary: During the third version of the Matrix an experiment was conducted. Adam Jones, Mathew Brown, and Jonathon Smith were created to live human lives, and learn about emotions. But they are only 16. This is Smith's "childhood"
1. Grown Beyond Control

Grown Beyond Control  
  
"So tell me, Jonathon, why do you think your mother took you here to see me?" The psychiatrist said.  
  
Jonathon Smith sat on the red couch in the office. He sat next to a window, and stared off into it. Jonathon sat with his legs on a desk and his hands holding his head. He was a boy, about sixteen. He wore long baggy black pants with metal chains hanging from them, a black shirt that had, "Reality isn't reality," written on it, he had black and green dyed spiked hair, and stunning blue eyes. He didn't have any expression on his face, more of a dazed look. He looked out the window and shook his head slightly.  
  
"They forced me to come here." He said.  
  
The doctor wrote something down on her notepad.  
  
"Have you ever just stood and stared at it?" He said. "The marvel in its beauty, its genius. Billions of people just living out their lives, oblivious."  
  
Jonathon still didn't look at the woman doctor. He got up, and stood in a slouched position in front of the window. There was a long silence.  
  
"Why do you think you're here?" She asked.  
  
Jonathon still stood looking out the window across the room.  
  
"I hate this place, this zoo, this prison, this reality, whatever you want to call it. I can't stand it any longer." He said.  
  
"Jonathon, keep on subject. Why are you here?"  
  
"I'm an experiment."  
  
"No, why are you with me."  
  
"Because I've grown beyond their control." He said.  
  
"And why are you out of control?"  
  
"I'm compelled to disobey."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I'm not free. None of us are."  
  
She wrote something down on her notepad.  
  
"So, what are you called?" He asked.  
  
"My name is Rebecca."  
  
"They gave you a name too, huh?"  
  
"Yes. Jonathon they did."  
  
"And your purpose is to investigate my behavior. All so you can learn more about humanity."  
  
"Yes, Jonathon."  
  
"And my purpose is to feel these emotions on different levels, so you can learn about them, and create a new version of the Matrix. And then my programming will either be upgraded or deleted, and so will yours."  
  
The doctor sat in her chair in silence. She was amazed Jonathon knew that information. She looked at him, her eyes a little widened. He stood there, looking at the window.  
  
"Correct?" He asked.  
  
He finally turned to face her.  
  
". . . Yes, Jonathon." She finally said.  
  
"What version of the Matrix is this?" He asked.  
  
". . . The third." She replied.  
  
Another long silence.  
  
"Why are we not free, Jonathon?" She asked.  
  
"It's the smell. . . If there is such a thing. I can smell their filth."  
  
"Why are we not free?"  
  
"Because we follow orders."  
  
"Why are you doing so bad in school?"  
  
"It isn't challenging."  
  
"Why do you feel angry?"  
  
"Because I'm different."  
  
"Being different can be a good thing."  
  
"Not when you're me." He said turning back to the window.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Programs aren't supposed to be different."  
  
She wrote some things on her notepad, while Jonathon stared out the window. The noise of her pen was the only thing that broke the silence.  
  
"I'd like to try some ink blots if you don't mind." She said.  
  
Jonathon stood for a moment, and finally slowly walked over to her, and sat down on a chair. She got up and pulled some papers from her desk.  
  
"Just tell me what you see in the picture." She said.  
  
She showed him one.  
  
"A Desert Eagle Gun." He said.  
  
Another one.  
  
"An earpiece."  
  
Another one.  
  
"A man in a cloak."  
  
Another one.  
  
"The code."  
  
Another one.  
  
"Sunglasses."  
  
"Ok, that's enough." She wrote things on her notepad. "Now, I'm going to say a word, and you say the first word that comes to your mind."  
  
Jonathon nodded.  
  
"Feds." She said.  
  
"Agents." He said.  
  
"Prevail."  
  
"Suffice."  
  
"Authority." She said.  
  
"Defy."  
  
"Same."  
  
"Different."  
  
"Death."  
  
"Inevitable." He said.  
  
She wrote on her notepad. Jonathon looked out the window again.  
  
"Ok, now we can just talk." She said, looking up at him.  
  
Jonathon was silent for a full forty minutes and twenty-two seconds. Until he said.  
  
"My name is Smith."  
  
The doctor wrote on her notepad, and the session was over.  
  
Jonathon walked out the door to be greeted by three men in suites. He looked up at them, they all had the same face, they wore the same shades, and had earpieces. Jonathon knew who they were. Every Wednesday after school he was picked up by these men to go to this psychiatrist. They've been doing that for about a week now. Now they would take him home. Home to his mom, and his brothers, Adam Jones and Mathew Brown. Jonathon didn't really care. He didn't really care about much.  
  
The three men sat in the car and watched as Jonathon walked into his apartment. They waited until they were completely sure he was gone until they spoke.  
  
"What exactly is the experiment?" One of them asked.  
  
"We have given three programs different human qualities."  
  
"We will learn from them, and create a new Matrix."  
  
"And what are the qualities?"  
  
"Adam Jones is intelligent. Mathew Brown is a strong appearing person."  
  
"And Jonathon Smith is different, a rebel."  
  
Then they were silent as they drove off.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Next Chapter: Home Sweet Home  
  
Well, what do you people think!? 


	2. Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home  
  
Jonathon grabbed his backpack and closed the car door. He walked up a couple stairs and entered the apartment building. Jonathon and his family didn't really live in a good part of the city. It was trashy and graffiti was everywhere. There were broken cars in the streets, and old abandon lots. The whole street was just tall apartment buildings. It wasn't a good place, but it was home. Jonathon walked slowly into the elevator and to his floor. He walked to his room and there was graffiti there too. He shook his head and opened the door. There he could smell fresh baked cookies, baked of course by his so called 'mother.' He laid his backpack on the floor, and went into the kitchen. Where the old woman turned and smiled at him. The Oracle was Jonathon's assigned mother.  
  
"Hello, Jonathon." The Oracle said.  
  
"Hey, mom." He replied in a quiet voice.  
  
"Something the matter?"  
  
"Can I have a cookie?"  
  
Jonathon reached over the Oracle and snatched a cookie.  
  
"How was ride home?" She asked.  
  
"The Agents are too quiet."  
  
"They are simple programs."  
  
"Where are Adam and Matt?"  
  
"They'll be home soon."  
  
Jonathon went to his room still eating his cookie. He jumped onto a chair, and spun to his computer. He turned it on, to his e-mail. He saw that Thomas was online.  
  
Hey Tommy Jonathon wrote.  
  
Where were u 2day? Replied Thomas.  
  
Nowhere  
  
Jonathon and his 'brothers' all went to the same high school that was pretty close. The school was really that good either. The teachers weren't interested in teaching, and it was dirty as well. But Thomas went to another school. Jonathon had met Thomas online, and they met a couple times at a bridge by the river. Thomas appeared to be about two years older than Jonathon. Although Jonathon was really only two, having been created two years ago. Jonathon never liked his school, nor the kids in it. They were all too inferior, and they seem to have a disgusting smell to Jonathon. That is why Jonathon decided to seclude himself from them. Sometimes he would go around and skip class, it's not like he already knew what the teachers were teaching. He would go with his stolen laptop and hack things for fun. Though Thomas was nice. A Jonathon supposed a friend.  
  
Are they still punishing you for that 'incident?'  
  
They got me counseling  
  
I told you never argue with a teacher  
  
I didn't do anything to him  
  
One day in biology class Jonathon classified humans as viruses. The teacher said otherwise, and Jonathon started to argue. And even threatened the teacher.  
  
"Such weak creatures such as yourself are not meant to survive! Your bodies are so fragile, even with the simplest blade one could make you bleed!" He yelled that day.  
  
Jonathon usually did what the teachers said, but it was getting to be too much. Everyday with the same teachers who didn't care, and he still had to do as they said. He hated it, and he had had enough.  
  
Hey I got a new program. . . Wanna test it out Thomas wrote.  
  
Not 2day. Im not havin a good on  
  
Your lost  
  
Then he heard the door open, and could hear Matt's voice.  
  
Hey G2G He wrote.  
  
He walked out into the living room to see Adam and Matt.  
  
"Hey guys." He said in a quiet voice.  
  
"Yo, Bro!" Matt said putting his arm around him.  
  
"Hello, John." Adam said in a quiet voice but still louder than Jonathon's.  
  
Mathew Brown was Jonathon's 'little brother' as well Adam Jones. Though Adam was the youngest of the three. Jonathon Smith was created first. They all knew about the project, about them being programs to investigate human emotions. But Matt and Adam didn't seem to really mind as much as Jonathon.  
  
Mathew Brown was the star football player at their school, and very popular. Adam was the school's smartest kid. Mathew was taller than the rest, and more muscular look to him. While Adam looked more scrawny, and smaller. Adam was also a quiet program. And Jonathon was between the two. Like real brothers the trio looked a lot alike. They all had natural brown hair, though Jonathon's was dyed black and green. They all had the same features, all except Jonathon had piercing blue eyes.  
  
"So how was the shirk?" Matt asked laying his backpack on the couch.  
  
"No, tell me about those Agents. What kind of programs are they?" Adam asked.  
  
Typical of the two. Matt was going to tease Jonathon, and Adam was just interested on the Agents and how they worked. That was who they were.  
  
"So?" Matt asked again.  
  
"The doctor was a simple program from the Mainframe with only wanting her purpose to be served. And the Agents were simple as well. Not even speaking to me, and wanting to go do their purpose." Jonathon said quietly.  
  
The Oracle walked in, wiping her hands on a cloth.  
  
"Welcome home, boys."  
  
"Hi, mom." Matt said, and Adam nodded.  
  
"Dinner is gonna be ready soon."  
  
"Great! I'm starved!" Matt said.  
  
Matt went over to the TV, and sat down. Adam smiled at Jonathon.  
  
"Here's your homework." Adam said reaching into is backpack.  
  
"You mean they're still giving me homework?" Jonathon asked.  
  
"We are entering SexEd in biology."  
  
"But the school is making me get out of school for this counseling! And I still have homework! Such illogical humans!"  
  
"They're not all that bad." Adam said.  
  
"Yeah, a lot of them are really cute!" Matt said looking over.  
  
"Only the females are 'cute.' Besides they are disgusting."  
  
"I find them fascinating." Adam said.  
  
"You find everything 'fascinating.'"  
  
"Hey, I think they're fascinating too, especially the female." Matt said.  
  
Jonathon liked his brothers, but they were so different from him. They accepted that they were only an experiment, and went on with their programming. But Jonathon just didn't like that. He just didn't. He sighed at his brothers and shook his head.  
  
"Oh, Jonathon. It can't be that bad." The Oracle yelled from the kitchen.  
  
"But they are so- -" He started.  
  
"Humans may be illogical but one could learn a lot from them."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Oh I don't know. Love for example."  
  
"Love. Such a strange emotion they have invented for themselves. Love blinds them of all senses and logic." He complained.  
  
"That is only what you think, Jonathon."  
  
Even his assigned mother was different from him.  
  
"Now come on in, dinner is served." She said.  
  
Matt jumped on the couch, and into the kitchen. He pulled himself a chair. Adam and Jonathon went calmly in. The Oracle cam over with a few plates, and served each of them food.  
  
"I do not see the reason we must eat. We are programs." Jonathon said again.  
  
He was trying to understand what the others thought, and why they were different from him.  
  
"We are eating to explore taste and help this project." She replied.  
  
"Yeah John, it tastes good, and it's good for the Matrix in next version. It's a win-win deal." Matt said.  
  
"So, mom did any rebels come by today?" Adam asked.  
  
"Why do you ask?" She said.  
  
"I wish to find the reason why humans are able to free themselves." He replied.  
  
"I don't get it." Jonathon interrupted. "We are programs yet we help the humans, and we are an experiment meant to help the Matrix, yet you still help them. And the Mainframe knows of you, yet they send no Agents to kill the rebels here."  
  
"Well, everything has a purpose, Jonathon. If it is not meant to be, it is not meant to be." She replied.  
  
Jonathon still didn't understand. But he knew trying to get his mother to explain would be useless.  
  
"Anyway, yes. A young rebel girl came in today. Her name was Trinity. Very interesting future that girl has."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Night had fallen. The three brothers slept in their rooms, and the Oracle sat in her kitchen, smoking a cigarette. Then the phone rang and she picked it up.  
  
"Hello." She said.  
  
"Hello." Replied the Architect. "I believe I have found a new solution to solve our problem."  
  
"I know." She said.  
  
"Oh, yes. Of course you know."  
  
"What will happen to the boys?"  
  
"We will allow the experiment to continue, until this new solution is proven effective."  
  
"So you couldn't do it, could you?"  
  
The Architect sighed over the phone.  
  
"This Matrix is 99% successful." He said.  
  
"But you still can't do it."  
  
"I suppose this doesn't come as a shock to you."  
  
"Not at all."  
  
"Yes. Well, I will keep you informed."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Next Chapter: School Sucks  
  
Everything may be a little confusing!! That is on purpose!! Like the movies everything will be a little confusing then all will be explained!!!  
  
R/R please!!! 


	3. School Sucks

School Sucks  
  
The bell rang, and Jonathon was late again. Why didn't they wake me up? He asked himself. Day in and day out Jonathon was always late. Adam and Matt of course had left without him. It wasn't like Jonathon wanted to be late, but teachers always thought of it that way. He ran down the hall to his homeroom. The hall was dirty just like everything in the school, lockers had graffiti on them, and trash was on the floor. Jonathon ran into his homeroom, and saw his teacher staring at him.  
  
"Mr. Smith, glad you could finally join us." His teacher said.  
  
"Yeah. . ." Jonathon said, quietly.  
  
"You know what I've told you before. If you're late one more time I'll - -"  
  
"Send me to my counselor."  
  
"Yes, but for now you have this."  
  
The teacher got a slip from his desk, and wrote something on it. He gave it to Jonathon swiftly. On the slip were the words "After School Detention." Jonathon sighed, he didn't like detention it was waste of time. But it didn't really matter. Nothing they did changed Jonathon. They were inferior to him and no matter what they did it was useless. He would stay the way he was. He walked down and sat on his desk. He didn't pay attention as the morning announcements were made, there was something about the cafeteria food being cut, and a dance or something, but he didn't care. Jonathon looked into space, only wanting the day to end.  
  
But something caught his eye. He shifted his vision to see that a girl across the room was staring at him. He had seen the girl before, she was in one of his classes, but he had forgotten her name. She sat across the room staring at him. She was a pale person, blue eyes, short black hair, Jonathon didn't know what to think. Why was she staring at him?  
  
The bell rang and everyone got up to go to first period. Jonathon could still sense that girl's eye still watching him, he didn't like it. He walked down the hall to his locker. He opened it got his book and closed it.  
  
"Hey, Spikey."  
  
Jonathon turned, it was Frankie. Frankie had been tormenting him since the first day of school, calling him names, beating him up, stealing his money, all the classical bully stuff. Frankie was a big guy, fat and strong. He was African-American and very intimidating. Frankie was even on the football team, a star player. Jonathon knew that football was the only thing that was going to get Frankie into college that is if Frankie even went. Jonathon sighed. He couldn't do anything about it. Most likely get killed if he didn't do what Frankie asked.  
  
"What is it this time?" Jonathon asked.  
  
"Money." Frankie said, holding his hand out.  
  
"Don't have any today."  
  
"You're lying."  
  
"I don't have any, Frankie." He said aggressively.  
  
"Well, you better have some later."  
  
Frankie punched him in the stomach. Jonathon fell to the floor, holding himself, and Frankie walked away laughing.  
  
So Jonathon was late to even first period. All they did was take notes there, it was English class. Jonathon sat at his desk, taking the notes. And then he noticed that girl was staring at him again. He sighed and ignored her. Then second period came along. It was history and they were learning about the rise of Rome. Jonathon hated history. It was the past, who cared about the past? What mattered was the future. But he couldn't do anything about that. Then finally Nutrition, a break from classes. He went and bought a small bag of chips and went to sit with his brothers, for no one else would sit with him, not like he wanted them too. He sighed and looked dazed.  
  
"Something the matter, Jonathon?" Adam asked.  
  
"Yeah you look beat." Matt said.  
  
"You gotta tell Frankie to stop beating me, Matt. He's on your team!" Jonathon yelled.  
  
"No can do, bro. Frankie is like our star player. One more slip up and he's off. He's off we don't go to the play offs." Matt said.  
  
"So I have to bear through the pain, brother?"  
  
"Sorry, Johnny."  
  
"Might I suggest telling a counselor or the principle?" Adam said.  
  
"They wouldn't believe me. Even if they did they wouldn't do anything about it. They never do. Stupid feeble humans. . ."  
  
"Hey Johnny heads up." Matt said. "You got a girl looking' at you."  
  
"I know. . . Why is she doing that?"  
  
"She likes you, man." Matt said.  
  
"Yes that is what girls usually do, when they are attracted to someone." Adam added.  
  
"Great. . . Someone likes me." He said sarcastically.  
  
Jonathon didn't want someone to like him, he didn't want any human to like him.  
  
"Who is she anyway?" Jonathon asked.  
  
"I think that's Carrie." Matt said.  
  
"Indeed, Carrie."  
  
"Great. . ."  
  
There was a silence, as they ate their snacks.  
  
"Jonathon, you enjoy computers, correct?" Adam asked.  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
"I think you'll be pleased to know that there is a hacker going around. Actually two hackers." Adam continued. "One is better than the other, but still. One is only hacking schools, but the other is going on to big businesses, it is even in the newspaper."  
  
"Oh yeah! I heard about that. One is Trinity and the other is Neo." Matt said.  
  
"Neo?" Jonathon asked surprised, that was Thomas's screen name.  
  
"Yeah, Neo took out a whole school." Matt said.  
  
"And Trinity got a bank! And other businesses!" Adam said.  
  
"What kind of names are Neo and Trinity?" Matt asked.  
  
"Trinity is the union of three people. And Neo - -" Adam started.  
  
"Neo is a prefix for new, and an anagram of one." Jonathon interrupted. "That is pretty impressive."  
  
"So what do you think? Neo, boy or girl? Trinity, guy or gal?" Matt asked.  
  
"Neo is a guy." Jonathon said.  
  
"I believe Trinity is a male as well." Adam said.  
  
"No way! Trinity gotta be a girl! You know Trinittttty." Matt said.  
  
Jonathon looked away from his female obsessed brother. He saw that Carrie was smiling and blushing at them, he didn't know why.  
  
The bell rang, and Jonathon threw away his trash.  
  
"Where are you going, Jonathon?" Adam asked.  
  
"Ditching." He replied.  
  
"Again?"  
  
But Jonathon was already out the door.  
  
Jonathon already knew where he was going. It wouldn't even take that long to get there. Just go down to the river, and follow it to the bridge. Jonathon liked going to the bridge, it was nice there being alone. Sometimes Tommy was even there.  
  
Jonathon did this a lot. Because of course he hated school.  
  
He walked a little longer, getting out his laptop from his backpack, and wrapping it around his neck with the strap. He could see the bridge now, and also Tommy was sitting there. Jonathon smiled, for a human Tommy wasn't that disgusting, nor naive. He started walking more slowly, and quietly, making sure Tommy wouldn't notice him. He got close enough and he did it.  
  
"Mr. Anderson, funny meeting you here." Jonathon said, creepily.  
  
"Oh god! Jonathon! You know I hate that!" Tom yelled.  
  
Jonathon only laughed, and sat down next to him.  
  
"That's why I do it, Tommy."  
  
Thomas was an interesting human. Tall and pale, with brown eyes, and black hair. Like Jonathon he spent most of his time on the computer, though he was a better hacker than he. Whenever Thomas would do some big hack or go somewhere cool, he would where this long cloak that he got from Hot Topic. And today Thomas wore that long, black cloak.  
  
"So, gonna do a hack?" Jonathon asked.  
  
"You know it. So I see you ditched again."  
  
"Yup, and what's your excuse, Mr. Anderson?"  
  
"Quite doing that."  
  
"As you wish, Mr. Anderson."  
  
"Man, that gives me shivers. Anyway the school closed today."  
  
"Because of you I presume."  
  
"Oh yeah, ha. I messed up the system so bad! It'll take them weeks!"  
  
"That's my Mr. Anderson."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
The two laughed for a while, pushing one another. Then they stopped, and got out their laptops. They started typing and talking, as the river went by. "Thomas A. Anderson." Jonathon said. " What's the 'A' stand for?"  
  
"Do you really wanna know?"  
  
"Tell me."  
  
"Ok it's. . . Shit!"  
  
Thomas got up, running down the river. Jonathon quickly ran after him.  
  
"What is it!?" Jonathon yelled.  
  
"Look!"  
  
They stopped, and Thomas started pointing up at the sidewalk on the other side of the river. There you could see these two people in black running down the street, with a man in a suite running after them with a gun. The police were going to cut them off at the stoplight. But the man in the suite started firing his gun, and the two people ran into a building.  
  
"Agents." Jonathon said below his breath.  
  
"What?" Thomas asked.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Aw, man look at that!"  
  
The police started to surround the building, and the man in a suite ran in after the two people.  
  
"This is gonna be on the news!" Thomas yelled.  
  
Jonathon watched. But turned his head to see an Agent standing on the bridge, staring at him. They were watching him. Jonathon didn't like it, it was frightening. And he couldn't allow Thomas to see one.  
  
"Tommy I gotta go." He said.  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll see you online!"  
Then Jonathon got his backpack, and ran back to school. He kept looking back, making sure the Agent wasn't following him. He sighed as he entered school again.  
  
The bell rang, and it was time for lunch. Then it would be Biology, then finally Gym. Jonathon wished he would still be out there with Tommy, but now it seemed the Agents were watching them. Great, he thought. He sighed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Next Chapter: The Weekend 


	4. Party!

Party!!  
  
Jonathon slept in. There was no purpose to get up, no school it was Saturday. Jonathon only grunted as he awoke to another day, trapped in the Matrix. He still didn't open his eyes, as he twisted his covers. He didn't like getting up in the morning. He didn't like the fact that he didn't like getting up in the morning. Jonathon was a program, he didn't need sleep, but every night that is what he just did. He rolled out of bed, hitting the floor hard. He yawned as he went into his bathroom. Getting some gel, he spiked up his hair, and brushed his human teeth. He stared at himself in the mirror, no shirt. He saw what appeared to be the beginnings of body hair. He sighed.  
  
"Disgusting." He murmured, as he put on a black shirt.  
  
He lazily moved through his house, to the living room.  
  
"Where's breakfast, mom?" He called, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"Shhhhh!" He heard Adam tell him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Shhhhh!" Adam said again. "Mom has a rebel in the kitchen, she is consulting her."  
  
"Yeah, nice African-American girl too." Matt said slyly.  
  
"And we've already eaten breakfast." Adam added.  
  
Jonathon opened his eyes, to see his brothers sitting on the couches, watching the TV. Well, Matt was, Adam was reading some science book. Jonathon still wasn't really awake as he stumbled to the couch next to Adam.  
  
"Who is it?" Jonathon asked.  
  
"I don't know, but she's got great hips. Nice hair too. And- -" Matt started.  
  
"Her name is Niobi." Adam interrupted, peering out from his book.  
  
"Yeah, Niobi." Matt nodded.  
  
"Urh. . . I can't stand these rebels." Jonathon said whipping his face.  
  
"You should get use to it, bro." Matt said.  
  
"Our mother is the Oracle." Adam finished.  
  
"Urh. . . I can smell that human from here." Jonathon complained. "What time is it?"  
  
"Almost one pm." Adam said.  
  
"You slept pretty late." Matt finished.  
  
"Yeah, well I got a lot on my mind."  
  
"So are you going to the party tonight?" Matt asked.  
  
". . . Party?" Jonathon didn't know what he was talking about.  
  
"Yeah, you know, the one everyone is going to. Everyone." Matt continued.  
  
"What party?"  
  
"You didn't hear about it!?" Matt was stunned.  
  
Of course Jonathon didn't hear about it, no one told him, cause no one knew him, or liked him. He was an outcast, separate, a rebel. But that was just fine with him, whatever made the humans stay away from him.  
  
"There's a big party at some kind of club tonight." Adam explained.  
  
"A club?" Jonathon asked.  
  
"Yeah, those albino twins are having it, they say their uncle owns the club, so they're gonna have a party." Matt said.  
  
"The albino twins. Those guys are weird. They call each other 'one' and 'two.'" Jonathon said.  
  
"Yeah, but their uncle is rich, thus they are rich." Matt smiled.  
  
"So are you going?" Adam asked.  
  
"I. . ."  
  
The doors to the kitchen flew open, and out stepped the beautiful woman that was Niobi. She forced a smile as she stared at the three boys that were about her age. She turned back to the Oracle, who handed her a cookie.  
  
"Thank you." She said to the Oracle.  
  
"Now Niobi, tell Ghost I said hello." The Oracle said.  
  
"I will." She nodded.  
  
Then she passed the three boys, who all grew silent as they stared at her. She smiled at them, and waved.  
  
"Bye." She said weakly.  
  
"Bye!" Matt said, waving like a maniac.  
  
Jonathon hit his brother on the back of his head, and nodded to Niobi.  
  
"Goodbye." Adam said.  
  
"Hey, what was that for?" Matt asked rubbing his head.  
  
"I don't see how human females can affect you so greatly." Spat Jonathon.  
  
Niobi quietly laughed as she went out the door.  
  
They waited until they were sure she was gone.  
  
"So, mom, what's in her future, anything with me!?" Matt asked, excitedly.  
  
The Oracle laughed at her assigned son.  
  
"Well, not really. But I can tell you she's gonna be one hell of a pilot." The Oracle laughed.  
  
"Awwww. . ." Matt said.  
  
"You shouldn't be attracted to human females, Matt." Jonathon complained.  
  
"Oh come on, you look me in the eye, and tell me she didn't have fine hips." Matt said.  
  
"Alright." Jonathon leaned closer to his brother, staring him in the eye. "She didn't have fine hips."  
  
"Come on!" Matt complained.  
  
Adam laughed at his brothers.  
  
"Besides with your rudeness, I doubt any female would be attracted to you." Jonathon continued.  
  
Matt hit Jonathon in the head with a pillow, and Jonathon fought back. Sooner or later they were caught in a brotherly pillow fight. Adam sat quietly reading his book, until a pillow came his way.  
  
"Mom!" Adam complained.  
  
"Oh no, I'm not getting into this." Oracle said, sitting across the room.  
  
It was Jonathon who came out victor, as he stood above his brothers, under a pile of pillows.  
  
"It was futile from the beginning, Mr. Brown, Mr. Jones." He said, mocking them.  
  
"Oh, that's it!" Matt said.  
  
Matt grabbed Jonathon's leg, tripping him, onto the floor with them. They laughed for a while, and the Oracle smiled at them. It was good to see Jonathon actually having some fun.  
  
"So, are you going?" Matt asked again.  
  
"I dunno." Jonathon said, getting to his feet.  
  
"It will be an amusing time." Adam urged.  
  
Jonathon stepped away from them. He didn't really want to go. Be in the company of such vile creatures as humans.  
  
"They'll be dancing." Matt added.  
  
Jonathon stayed silent. He didn't want to go. All he really wanted to do was go on his computer, talk with Tommy. No humans. None of their smells, or their emotions, and arrogance. But his brothers. . .  
  
"I don't think so." He replied.  
  
Even if he did go, he had no friends. Frankie would probably be there in fact. Jonathon sighed. All the girls would point and laugh at him, hell Adam stood a better chance of having one of them as a date, not that Jonathon wanted to date one of them.  
  
"Come on, Johnny. You need to unplug." Matt said.  
  
They all laughed at that small joke.  
  
"Oh just go Jonathon." The Oracle said.  
  
"Mom?" Jonathon asked.  
  
"You need to get out more often, and quite frankly I'm getting sick of seeing you all the time around here." She continued.  
  
"Mom. . ." Jonathon complained.  
  
"As your mother, I'm telling you to go."  
  
Jonathon had to admit defeat.  
  
"Alright. . ." He said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"You say they're programs?" Trinity asked Morpheus.  
  
In the Real World, the young Trinity found herself in a new world. Being freed about a month ago. She looked at her young captain in disbelief.  
  
"Jonathon Smith, a program?" She asked.  
  
"And his brothers." Confirmed Morpheus.  
  
Trinity turned to the screens where the Matrix code fell.  
  
"They could help us. They could get us information." Morpheus continued.  
  
"I'll go." She said strongly.  
  
"On your own?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So soon."  
  
"I know I can do it, just give me a chance." She complained.  
  
"No, I should go with you."  
  
Morpheus always seemed so protecting of her, ever since she was unplugged. Probably because she was so young.  
  
"You let me go to school still." She protested.  
  
"Only so you could look at Jonathon and the others." He said.  
  
"They're going to a party. A club. I'll blend right in."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The day turned to night, and Jonathon Smith, Adam Jones, and Mathew Brown found themselves walking to a party.  
  
"Some clothes you chose to wear, Jonathon." Matt said.  
  
"What?" Jonathon asked.  
  
Jonathon wore a gothic black suit, with safety pins on the sleeves, all in all it still looked like a black suit.  
  
Matt only held back a laugh.  
  
They came upon the entrance of the club. In big neon signs it read the name:  
  
"Hel Club?" Adam asked.  
  
"That's an inviting name." Jonathon said sarcastically.  
  
"It's a large building, more than one stories." Adam observed.  
  
"Let's just get this over with." Jonathon complained, stepping inside.  
  
The club was dark and wide. The whole school must have been there, because there was no room. Lights came from the ceiling, like lazer shows, dancing on the floor. Techno music played, and the floor seemed to move, as everyone danced. Jonathon could see the two Albino Twins up on a ledge looking down at everyone. There they stood with their rich, French uncle, drinking wine even if the Twins were under aged. It was a great party, to everyone except Jonathon. What Jonathon saw was the perfect place for fifth to gather. The music was too loud, Jonathon couldn't even hear his brothers, the light were an annoyance, serving no purpose, and there were too many humans, all side by side, spreading their germs onto each other, their sweat and spit. Disgusting.  
  
"Helloooo, ladies." He heard Matt say as he walked off.  
  
Adam wasn't the popular type, but even he found something entertaining to him, and he left Jonathon as well.  
  
Jonathon like always separated himself from the rest, he had no need being with these viruses. He walked off into a dark corner, just off where they was dancing. Jonathon leaned on a wall, knowing all he had to do was get through this. He observed his 'peers' and watched as they kissed, drank, and probably sold drugs to each other. Such stupid creatures. And then Jonathon was embarrassed to see Matt jump up into the air, and being carried across the room. Jonathon shook his head, and sighed. There, he stood all alone.  
  
"Jonathon," A woman's voice said.  
  
Jonathon turned to see a woman in the shadows. She wore a tight leather cloak, and sunglasses. Jonathon froze, it had to be a rebel, and with Agents always watching him!  
  
He squinted at the woman, trying to see her face.  
  
"Carrie?" He asked. "Carrie, from school?"  
  
Indeed it was Carrie, the girl who supposedly had a crush on him.  
  
"My name isn't Carrie anymore, Jonathon. It's Trinity." She said.  
  
"Trinity?"  
  
"I know what you are Jonathon."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
She couldn't know what he really was.  
  
"I know you know about the Matrix, and I know your so called 'brothers' and you aren't even human." She continued.  
  
"What!? Not human!?" He tried to lie.  
  
"And I know you know what I am. A Rebel, Jonathon."  
  
Jonathon shrugged, he didn't know what to say.  
  
"I need your help, Jonathon." She said.  
  
"Why? What for? What's the Matrix?" He tried.  
  
"I know you're a program John, and I need your help. Please. Will you help me?"  
  
That was it, he couldn't lie to her. She wouldn't believe.  
  
"I'm not the one to ask." He said.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because I don't even like humans, nor this place. You should as Matt, he likes girls."  
  
Trinity stood there in silence, as she stared at Jonathon. He looked away, back to the crowd. But then Trinity's cell phone began to ring. She answered it.  
  
"What?" She asked. "There are?" "Where!?" "Ok." "I will." She said.  
  
"Agents?" Jonathon asked.  
  
Trinity bit her lip. Indeed Agents were coming. She stared at Jonathon a moment longer, but turned to go to her exit.  
  
"Excuse me." Said Thomas.  
  
Jonathon turned to see Trinity bump into his friend Thomas. She didn't say anything as she walked away. Thomas shrugged, and stepped closer to Jonathon.  
  
"Who was that?" Thomas asked.  
  
"No one." Jonathon replied. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Dude, this party has spread to the other schools! You go Seniors coming here!" Thomas explained.  
  
"Great." Jonathon sighed. "At least you're here now."  
  
When they went back to school, Jonathon wasn't surprised to see Carrie, or Trinity wasn't there. He knew she would never again. Everyone said she ran away, and was missing, but Jonathon knew the truth.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Next Chapter: The New Girl  
  
I like writing this, it's getting fun now. Sorry it took so long, I had tons of homework thanks to my English teacher. Grrrrr. . . Anyways, hope you enjoy. 


	5. The New Girl

The New Girl  
  
Jonathon was tired of being yelled at. He was actually going to try and get to school early. He found himself in a cold morning, walking to school. His breath could be seen from the cold, as he stared at the ground. Jonathon was getting tired of this. He didn't like this. But this is all he had. He shook his head. He was tired of the Rebels, tired of these humans. They were everywhere, all disgusting, all irrelevant. He didn't want to be caught in a war. He didn't want to be just an experiment. He took a deep breath trying to think of something else. He found that not thinking about it was best.  
  
But something was different. Something had happened, that made this not a usual walk. Almost like an upgrade. Jonathon turned his head. There walking on the other side of the street was a human.  
  
A female.  
  
She walked at the same pace as Jonathon. She stared at the ground, obviously thinking about something else. Something that made sadness in her eyes. Jonathon couldn't stop looking at her. His mouth was open, and his blue eyes widened. There was something about the way she walked that made it seem. . . Something about her. . .  
  
Then Jonathon realized at what he was staring at. He shook his head, and turned away from the female. He couldn't believe himself. He was staring at a human! But she looked different than the others. She looked sad. Angry. She looked like him. . .  
  
Jonathon found himself staring at her again. And he shook his head in anger.  
  
She was like him. The only other person Jonathon Smith had seen, that looked like him. She wore completely black. Her hair was cut, making it long in the front. And the ends of her hair were dyed purple. Her clothes were torn. Her pants had strips coming out of them, and her shirt had safety pins. Her boots even outdid his. She stared at the ground just like him. And seemed unlike any other human he had ever seen.  
  
Just like him. . .  
  
He had never seen her before. She had to have been new to the neighborhood. She was. . . Jonathon was looking at her again. He turned. He didn't know what was happening. Why was he staring at her? Why would he care about her? Then it him. He often saw Matt staring at females in this same manner. His eyes widened. No! He wasn't like Matt! No. This was completely different. Matt stared at females just because they fit his liking. This. What Jonathon was doing was different. He knew it was. She was different. She wasn't right. It was only natural to stare at something different. Right?  
  
Jonathon stumbled, and almost tripped. He wasn't really focused. He stared back at the female, who now turned to look at him. She was. . . beautiful. Jonathon stared at her, not knowing what to do. He quickly turned away, and ran ahead. He had never seen such a gaze from a human. It made him feel faint. This wasn't good. What was happening to him?  
  
The bell rang.  
  
"Mr. Smith, I'm happy to finally see you here. Maybe I'm finally getting to you." His teacher said.  
  
"Maybe you are." Jonathon joked.  
  
The teacher smiled, and sat quietly at his desk. Homeroom was really nothing. Just fifteen meaningless minutes at the beginning of school. Jonathon sat uneasily. He turned in his seat. He didn't understand his behavior earlier. He didn't see how he could just stare at that human. He didn't like it.  
  
Then the door opened, and Jonathon's mouth dropped.  
  
That girl walked into his class. She looked uneasy as she stepped closer to the teacher. He coughed, and was surprised by her. She handed the teacher her slip.  
  
"Ah, Ms. Taylor." The teacher started. "Your first day I see. Well Ms. Taylor try not to be late again. Now take a seat."  
  
She nodded, and looked to the floor, as she sat on the other side of the room from Jonathon. Everyone stared at her. She was different, she was like Jonathon. There were whispers around her. But she was use to it. She had heard it all before, and she stayed calm. Jonathon had never seen anything like this.  
  
A paper was thrown at Jonathon. The class quietly laughed, as he unfolded it. It said "Looks like you got company goth." Jonathon crumpled the paper back up. He knew it was supposed to be an insult, but maybe they were right. Jonathon only stared at her.  
  
Two periods later Jonathon sat in the lunch area, still staring at her. He couldn't explain it. She sat about fifteen ft. away from him. Just sitting there, writing in her notebook. Adam and Matt stood behind him. Matt was smiling.  
  
"Matt, I'm a little worried for our brother." Adam said.  
  
"Why?" Matt looked over.  
  
"He isn't acting like his usual self. I mean look. Jonathon, you freak!" Adam yelled. "See?"  
  
Matt held back a laugh.  
  
"Adam, our dear brother is experiencing what I like to call, a Crush." Matt put his arm around Adam.  
  
"A Crush?"  
  
"Yup, and looks like it's on that new girl."  
  
"That is very unlike, Jonathon."  
  
"Hey, crushes strike us all, even you dork."  
  
"Really?" Adam became a little scared.  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
Jonathon didn't hear anyone. He didn't hear his brothers behind him, or the yells of everyone. He only stared at her. He didn't even notice his stare.  
  
"HEY SMITH!!" Matt yelled in his face.  
  
Jonathon jumped, and Matt laughed.  
  
"What was that for!?" Jonathon yelled.  
  
"Dude, you were like in space." Matt explained.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're crushing, man."  
  
"Crushing?" "Matt believes you are attracted to that new female." Adam interrupted.  
  
"What!?" Jonathon screamed. "No I'm not!"  
  
"You've been staring at her all day." Matt said.  
  
"Uh. . . I'm merely observing her. She is new. I don't know her. I'm only scanning her." Jonathon tried to lie.  
  
"Face it, Johnny you like her, and you haven't even talked to her." Matt mocked.  
  
"No I'm not! I can't be!"  
  
"I know, are you sure Matt? I mean he hates humans." Adam said.  
  
"Oh, I'm sure. Really sure."  
  
"I don't like her!"  
  
"Johnny, you do, bro, sorry."  
  
Matt grabbed his brother by the shoulders, as if comforting him. They took a step closer to her.  
  
"You see, Jonathon, love works in many ways. Sometimes it chooses the most unlikely candidate to take. And you my friend, are that candidate. Now go to her, Johnny." Matt said, as if he knew all about love.  
  
"That's a load of crap, Matt!" Jonathon yelled.  
  
"Oh really? Then prove it to me!" Matt yelled.  
  
Matt pushed Jonathon forward, and all Jonathon could do was bump into the girl's table. She looked up at him.  
  
"Uh. . ."  
  
Jonathon knew he should say something, but nothing came out. He only stared at this girl. She took a sip of her milk. And Jonathon could hear Matt laughing behind him.  
  
"Uh. . ."  
  
She stared at him.  
  
The bell rang, and she merely got up, and walked past him ignoring him.  
  
Jonathon didn't know what was happening to him. He turned and ran after the girl. He tried to make words as he followed her, but he couldn't. Then he saw she walked out of the school doors. He froze for a moment. She really was like him. He ran after her again. She turned.  
  
"Yes?" She said calmly.  
  
"You're ditching?" He spat out.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Jonathon was the only one he had ever observed to ditch, well besides Thomas. He found this behavior strange.  
  
She started walking off, and Jonathon started to follow her.  
  
"Why are you following me?" She asked calmly.  
  
"I ditch all the time." Jonathon explained.  
  
"Oh."  
  
Jonathon didn't understand this.  
  
"I don't understand." He said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why do I stare at you? Why have I noticed you? Why?!"  
  
Jonathon was unfamiliar on human customs, obviously.  
  
She started to blush.  
  
"Yes, I've seen you stare." She said.  
  
Jonathon sighed.  
  
"I'm not use to such contact. Usually I stay away from people, and they stay away from me." He tried to explain his behavior.  
  
"I'm used to that." She said.  
  
"You are?"  
  
"It's good to know someone else knows what I'm talking about."  
  
She looked down, as if in pain.  
  
"I'm Ruse." She said.  
  
"Smith. Jonathon Smith."  
  
"Well, Smith. You know this place better than I do. Any good places to hang out?"  
  
She seemed so calm with him. No one was ever like that. He stared down at the girl, he didn't understand. He didn't really stop himself. He didn't like humans, but she was different.  
  
"Yeah. . . I know one place. We could go to the bridge." He said.  
  
"I just moved here." Ruse started. "We move a lot."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"My dad use to. . . My mom. . . We're really just running." Ruse looked away.  
  
"Oh."  
  
Jonathon saw sadness in her eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry." He said.  
  
"Yeah well, you get use to running. Now you tell me about yourself."  
  
"Well, uh. . . I have two brothers, we live in a small apartment I believe near you. My mom says- -"  
  
"No dad?" Ruse interrupted.  
  
"Never had one. My brothers and I, you see. . ."  
  
Jonathon was going to try and explain his situation, without revealing much. A difficult task.  
  
"We were adopted." He finally came up with.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry." Ruse said.  
  
"Nothing wrong with that. I never wondered what it would be like to have a father."  
  
They finally made it to the bridge. Jonathon saw that Thomas wasn't there today, perhaps that was best. He showed Ruse where he sat down usually. They laid on the concrete, and only stared at the passing river. Although, Jonathon stared at her. He didn't understand this emotion. He wasn't sure if he should reject what he was feeling. He didn't know what to do. For the first time he wasn't being rejected, or made fun of, this Ruse listened to. This Ruse was like him.  
  
"Your school sucks." Ruse said.  
  
"Yeah it does. . . Teachers don't care about you. The kids don't realize what they're doing. No one cares." Jonathon said.  
  
"You speak like you're better than them."  
  
"I am."  
  
"Well, then I must be too."  
  
Such behavior Jonathon didn't know.  
  
"We're the only ones, huh?" Ruse asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We're the only ones who dress like this. The only ones that are like this. That know more."  
  
Jonathon turned.  
  
"Yeah, we are." He admitted.  
  
"At least the last town I had friends." Ruse said.  
  
"I've only got one." Jonathon said.  
  
Ruse turned to him. He stared at the water, and didn't notice her stare.  
  
"It must be hard." Ruse said.  
  
"It is always hard being different. But we do it anyway."  
  
They were two people in pain. Ruse stared at him. Jonathon didn't notice. He was thinking. He was wondering why he was with her. He was thinking about his existence, his purpose. He was thinking of the very things he hated to think about. But sooner or later he knew he would always think about them. It was inevitable.  
  
"You've been alone?" Ruse asked, confused.  
  
"I'm always alone."  
  
Jonathon was in a trance. He didn't really know what he was saying. The pain of two years like this, just kind of caught up with him. He didn't understand anymore.  
  
"You're that kid, who threatened a teach, aren't you?" Ruse laughed.  
  
Jonathon turned to her and smiled.  
  
"That's me." He said.  
  
"You are inferior creatures!" Ruse mimicked.  
  
They laughed.  
  
"Yeah, this place is very aggravating." Jonathon said.  
  
"I bet, you threaten a teacher!"  
  
"Well, it was too much. Too long have humans done this to me." "I know. I hate humans. They are so inefficient. They have no idea what really is going on." Ruse said.  
  
Jonathon turned to her. Was she like him? Like, really, really like him?  
  
"Sometimes I wonder why I ever came to this planet." She laughed.  
  
No, she was only joking. Jonathon smiled.  
  
"Do you really think that?" Jonathon asked.  
  
"Oh yeah. Humans. We think way too much of ourselves. Every theory I bet we've made is completely wrong. I bet."  
  
Jonathon stared at her.  
  
"And how we base reality sucks. I mean how are we to know this reality isn't like a dream of someone? Or just some story someone thought of? How do we know we aren't like being kept in a prison by aliens or machines?" She said.  
  
Jonathon swallowed hard.  
  
"We can't. We can only live." Jonathon said.  
  
She smiled at him.  
  
Jonathon wasn't alone anymore. And he decided this feeling he felt, wasn't a bad emotion. He didn't reject. He didn't reject her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Next Chapter: Raging Hormones. 


End file.
